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Click below on the latest Trafford Ramblers Newsletter

christmas_edition_final.pdf
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Our first plaque!                                                                                                                       October 2013

Picture
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On the 14th of  August, in the evening,  several team members kindly travelled to one of the paths our team maintains in Urmston (Urmston 31) to fix our first “Improved by Ramblers”  plaque to a convenient post. The plaque is the square shape positioned below the round yellow waymark.  The two pictures show the proud group (Pat was there as well and  she took the photograph), and a close up of the plaque which is a Ramblers approved design and colour.  There is a plaque at both the  Newcroft and Loretto end of the path.
June Mabon

Long Causeway saved – Please now help on Leys (Chertpit) Lane

Dear PDGLA Members

I am delighted to let you all  know that the Peak Park Authority voted on Friday to put a permanent vehicle ban on Long Causeway.  A very big thank you to everyone who took part in the consultation and helped secured the vehicle ban.  As with the Roych, the number of people supporting the Long Causeway vehicle ban outnumbered the wretched offroaders. 
But the battle continues for all the other lanes in the Peak District which are being destroyed.  You will  have seen from the latest newsletter that next up is Leys Lane in Great Longstone. This is the one which was the subject of the BBC documentary about vehicles wrecking the Peak District a year or so back. It is also the lane that inspired us to set up the Peak District Green Lanes Alliance
Please take part in the consultation. The proposal is for a permanent vehicle ban.  All the details, including online response facility are a the link at the end of this message.
The lane is extremely narrow, has blind bends and nowhere to get out of the way of vehicles. Motor bikes come down it at dangerously fast speeds and you can’t get out of the way of 4x4s. It is so dangerous that walkers and riders, including the local residents, no longer dare use it.   The legal grounds the Peak Park is using for the intended vehicle ban are loss of amenity for non vehicle users and conserving the natural beauty of the area.  Please try to make time to respond to the consultation and support the vehicle ban.
This is a nationwide consultation, so please also forward this email to any friends and contacts who care about the Peak District and the countryside.  Here’s the link - http://consult.peakdistrict.gov.uk/details.cfm?TROID=7
Many thanks to everyone for their help – we are winning, but slowly, slowly
Patricia Stubbs

Chair Peak District Green Lanes Alliance

Re-opening of footpath Urmston 30

Urmston Councillor Joanne Harding and RTG member Bob welcoming the 65 walkers who marked the re-opening of footpath Urmston 30 on Saturday 10th August 2013. The path had been obstructed for many years by mature overgrown vegetation and electric fencing.   Bob, who is an RTG Footpath Inspector, negotiated with the landowner to have the vegetation cleared and new walkers friendly gates installed in place of the electric fencing.  The path is the only direct pedestrian link on official rights of way between Urmston and the Trans Pennine Way and the River Mersey. Quite an achievement!

Councillor Joanne Harding and RTG member Bob

Latest newsletter from the Peak District Green Lanes Alliance.

The newsletter contains good news about 'The Roych' -  a green lane near to Chapel-en-le-Frith. A full Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) will soon be imposed on this route.This will effectively ban recreational motor vehicle users (4x4's, motorcycles and quad bikes) which have done such great damage to this area in the past few years. A big thank you to all who supported the PDGLA during the public consultation last year.  For more details about the decision and the implementation process please read the newsletter.



Invitation to Participate in developing Mersey Valley walking routes

Trafford Council and Red Rose Forest are leading the development of the Trafford Countryside Management Partnership (TCMP), which aims to make the most of Trafford’s countryside resource.  This is an invitation to members of RTG to work with the Red Rose Forest personnel, on a voluntary basis, to develop a set of walks for Trafford residents and visitors.  Click here for more details.
Invitation to Participate in Developing Mersey Valley Walking Routes

What is this about?
Trafford Council and Red Rose Forest are leading the development of the Trafford Countryside Management Partnership (TCMP), which aims to make the most of Trafford’s countryside resource. An important part of this work will be improving the network of public rights of way, permissive paths and other access.
A lot of preparation goes into creating a good network of Walking Routes. This is an invitation to members of walking clubs in Trafford to work with the Red Rose Forest personnel, on a voluntary basis, to develop a set of walks for Trafford residents and visitors.
What follows is a bit of background about the project, the preparation work that needs to be done, the timescales for the project and what to do next if you would like to become involved.

Where will these Walking Routes be?

The TCMP project is divided into four main areas.  These are broadly:-
  • 1  Sale Water Park and Priory Gardens
  • 2 Central Mersey Valley, from Bridgewater Canal to the confluence of Kickety Brook and the Mersey
  • 3  Urmston and Ashton (West of Carrington Spur, including Banky meadow, Little Ees Brook and Urnston meadows)
  • 4  the Wellacre Country Park area, including the Green Hill and Jack Lane area
These are more indicative descriptions rather than definitive.

What preparation work has to be done?

The first step is to establish what paths exist in each of the four areas. Some paths will be recorded, well used and will be very obvious on the ground.  Others will be less well used paths but may provide valuable links between other paths and, with a bit of work to improve them, would be very useful parts of the Walking Routes.
For each path that is identified it will be necessary to survey the path and  record start and end points, location and state of repair of any stiles and gates, existing waymarks and signs, and obstacles that may have to be cleared e.g. encroaching vegetation. All this will require use of a Geographical Positioning System (GPS) to identify precise coordinates and appropriate training will be available so that volunteers can be consistent in recording the position of features on paths. Red Rose Forest will be creating a basic map from aerial photographs but will need local knowledge and site visits to assess the quality of each section and understand where there are major gaps or lost paths.

What is the short term plan?

Rather than go for the “big bang, all in one go”, approach, the project aims to carry out some work by end of this summer (2013) using  paths that form circular routes and need a little attention to make then “walk ready”. This will form the short term aim. 
Work will start in June 2013, as soon as volunteers are available.

What is the Next Step?

The next step proposed by Red Rose Forest is the development of a network of ‘‘Measured Routes’’ in each of the four areas. Measured Routes are health walks; shortish, easy to find routes, suitable for a good cross section of the community.  The length of each route is displayed at the start so that people can feel confident they are walking a distance that is within their personal capabilities.
Suitable routes would be identified by volunteers and then a project developed to promote, waymark and sign these routes as paths are brought up to “health walk” standard.

How can I get involved?

The Red Rose Forest Operations Manager, Mike Savage, is overseeing the project and there will be Red Rose Forest personnel working with volunteers. Preliminary work by Red Rose Forest will provide aerial map information about the location of existing paths that might become part of the walking routes or measured route as a starting point for the survey. Volunteers will be given specific paths or areas to survey and guidance on how information should be recorded.
If you would like to know more or would like to volunteer to help with this project, please contact Mike via   mike@redroseforest.co.uk   or 0161 872 1660. An informal chat will be arranged either with individuals or small groups of volunteers to answer questions. 
If you would like to contribute to developing and influencing Trafford’s short walking routes in the Mersey Valley Basin, this is your opportunity.  Also if you have experience of managing a project like this and would like to offer your time, skill and experience on a voluntary basis, please let us know. 

Issued on behalf of Red Rose Forest and Trafford Council.
Version 4A  dated 18/06/13


Protecting, enhancing and celebrating Snowdonia
 
Dear Friend

The Growth and Infrastructure Bill proposes to allow the installation of communications infrastructure, including overhead telecoms cabling for broadband, without the need for prior approval from the planning authority, for a period of five years.  I'm writing to ask you to support an e-petition which has been set up by the Campaign for National Parks.

National Parks are designated to provide protection to our most beautiful and cherished landscapes. They provide spaces for nature and people to thrive and connect.  They should be protected and enhanced for people to experience and enjoy.

The Government has recently presented the Growth and Infrastructure Bill, which includes proposals to suspend the protection afforded to National Parks for the installation of broadband infrastructure, mainly through the installation of overhead telecoms cables, for a period of five years.   The Government claims that the current protection is delaying the installation of broadband, but they have failed to demonstrate that this is the case. On the contrary, there are plenty of examples of how superfast broadband is being delivered to the most remote locations in ways that are sympathetic to the environment and our most precious landscapes.

CNP is calling on the Government to remove Clause 8 from the Growth and Infrastructure Bill.  The proposal represents a dangerous precedent, and implies that protective designations are only for when times are good.  When times are tough, when there is pressure and uncertainty, protection for National Parks is more important than ever. The Bill is progressing quickly through the parliamentary process, already in the House of Lords, and your urgent support is needed to ensure new laws removing National Park protection are not passed.  Together with CNP we want to stop the installation of unnecessary and unsightly overhead telecoms cabling in National Parks.

Communities have worked closely with regulators over many years to fund and implement programmes to underground unsightly overhead power lines.  Ofgem has recently announced £500m to underground electricity transmission lines in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and £60m has already been allocated to putting electricity distribution lines underground.   The Government’s proposals are a false economy.

If you feel the same way as I do about this then please sign the e-petition here. It only takes a few seconds.

There are a number of other things you could do to support this campaign:

  •  Post a link to the CNP e-petition on your social networks or blog.
  •  Forward this email to people that you know, who will want to help too.
  •  Raise the issue with your local Member of Parliament.

You can find out more information on this issue here.
Thank you for your support.

Huw Jenkins

Cyfarwyddwr Director

Cymdeithas Eryri Snowdonia Society

Protecting, enhancing and celebrating Snowdonia

Support the Snowdonia Society

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www.cymdeithas-eryri.org.uk - www.snowdonia-society.org.uk

Elusen Gofrestredig rhif/Registered Charity number 253231





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